Originally Posted by
Ridefreemc
You may want to take a ferry across Lake Michigan from Manitowoc to Ludington (or Milwaukee to Muskegon = $95) and head north along the lake from there. Traverse City, Harbor Springs, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Empire, Charlevoix, Mackinac City and Island, then loop back west in the UP. I rode the ferry with my motorcycle and I think it cost $72 for you and your bike. Save you from going around the south end of Lake Michigan. I did that on the motorcycle a couple of months ago and I do not consider that fun (and going through Chicago was no fun - I love the city, but not motorcycle friendly so I would probably say the same for bicycles - on the south side especially).
https://jet.com/product/product/47e8...959fc18a9e2f97
Actually there is a network of trails and routes from the loop to Indiana Dunes which avoids most of the problems you might expect in South Chicago. It also takes you around the industrial cesspool in Gary.
I've done it a couple of times.
Marc